|
|
Article: Why W. Is Not Q.
- Article from:
- The American Prospect
- Article date:
- October 23, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 The American Prospect, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Before W., there was Q.--John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, the nation's second president. The Adamses were America's first political dynasty, and like Bush, Q. inherited his father's first name and a well-worn middle one from a favorite relative. But American dynasties aren't what they used to be. Where John Quincy Adams succeeded in becoming president 24 years after his father served, Bush may fail--and the difference will owe much to the level of independence each son was encouraged to pursue within the family, and the political value of that independence.
From an early age, John Quincy was pushed to excel. His mother, Abigail Adams, who was largely ...